Woke Ideas: When Good Intentions Go Wrong

In recent years, the American Left has shifted from a live-and-let-live attitude to a more aggressive stance, often sidelining Israel in the process. Forget that Israel was founded by socialists and backed by liberal president Harry Truman. Today, in the eyes of woke activists, Jews are seen as oppressors, while Muslims are viewed as the oppressed. This has led to support for Palestinian causes, even when it means ignoring brutal acts like the Hamas massacre in October 2023. The massacre, where babies were harmed and Holocaust survivors killed, was hailed as a step towards "decolonization" by some. This sentiment, rooted in neo-Marxist ideologies, suggests that violence is justified for a greater cause. The tragic event on Bourbon Street, New Orleans, on New Year's Day 2025, was a stark reminder of what this kind of thinking can lead to. A U. S. Army vet, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, drove a truck into a crowd, leaving 15 dead and over 30 injured. Jabbar's mosque, Masjid Bilal in Houston, advised members not to talk to the FBI after the attack, instead directing them to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). CAIR has been linked to terrorism by FBI officials in the past. This highlights a broader issue: the misunderstanding of the jihadist threat. Political elites once thought this threat was contained, but the attack in New Orleans shows otherwise. For years, elites focused more on domestic issues like protests outside abortion clinics or school board meetings about indoctrination. The southern border, despite being a concern after 9/11, remains porous. Until we address these issues seriously, tragedies like the one in New Orleans will continue.